Piano Man

The formal dining room of my house has had a beautiful antique brass chandilier and a fooseball table in it for the past year... That's about to change. I recently purchased an antique 1936 Story & Clark baby grand piano. I've been looking for a piano for about 6 months now and I saw this one pop up on Criagslist right after I got back from Rome. I'm pretty excited - I miss playing a real piano - electronic keyboards just don't cut it (or at least not the cheapie one I have!).

I'll use this opportunity to say I think craigslist is great, and as Chad has jibed, I am somewhat addicted. Its the whole feel like you're getting a bargain and "one man's junk is another man's treasure" and my general attitude that I don't really need something new, and in fact sometimes enjoy fixing something up or making it how I want it to be, that buying used stuff allows you to do. Ok, I should probably work on my english writing skills to make this paragrap make sense, but whatever, its my blog, and I'll go for the run on sentence, conversational style. Sorry Carrie :)

Ahh, Roma...

I've been back for a week now, so I figure its time to finally post something about the trip. Well Rome is awesome. Italy is just a magnificant place all together. I was there for two and a half weeks staying with Jenn and Wayne, who I owe a big thank you for housing and feeding me the whole time I was there - and to the Centro (Center for Intercollegiate Classical Studies), where Wayne has been teaching. I ate many meals at the Centro and also got to accompany Wayne and the students on their field trips around Rome. Its hard to describe how cool it is to have your friend, whose specialty is Ancient Roman History, show you some incredible sights around Rome. I did take the train to Florence and Venice and spent a day in each city, which was just enough to get a taste of the both very unique cities - I've decided I need to go back and spend a few days in each! Anyway, I could ramble on for quite a while so I'll cut it short, and let those of you who truly have alot of time on your hands look through the 1300+ pictures I took while I was there! (login:jerrycentanni pw:jerry). And I have to thank Andy and Melissa for insisting that I have coffee and gelato every day I was there - man, I miss gelato...yummm gelato...

Here's the general outline of what I did each day in Italy, for reference to all the pics, and so its logged someplace in cyberspace so I don't forget!

4/21 - Thurs - Day 1
Arrive in Italy

4/22 - Friday - Day 2
Janiculum Hill

4/23 - Saturday - Day 3
Roman Forum w/ Wayne
Victor Emmanuel Monument

4/24 - Sunday - Day 4
Capitoline Museum
various Piazza's
various Churches

4/25 - Monday - Day 5
Forum - Curia, Arch of Constatine w/ the Centro
Quadrinale
Trevi Fountain

4/26 - Tuesday - Day 6
All day with the Centro
Via Appia
Circus of Maxentius
Temple of Romulus
St Callixtus
Santa Constanza

4/27 - Wed - Day 7
Colloseum
Bath of Caracalla
Church of Giovanni e Paolo

4/28 - Thur - Day 8
St. Peter's Basilica

4/29 - Fri - Day 9
Florence

4/30 - Sat - Day 10
Venice

5/1 - Sun - Day 11
Day o' Rest

5/2 - Mon - Day 12
Church of San Clamente
Quattro Coronati
Lateran

5/3 - Tues - Day 13
All day with the Centro
EUR - model museum
Via Latina Necropolis

5/4 - Wed - Day 14
Palatine
Spanish Steps
Piazza Della Popolo
Castle Sant Angelo

5/5 - Thurs - Day 15
Trastevere
Campo De Fiori

5/6 - Fri - Day 16
Vatican Museum

5/7 - Sat - Day 17
Pics of Me in Rome!
Cappucian Monks
Santa Maria Della Vittoria